Aeolus Truck & Driver News

The iconic Kenworth W900 model – a symbol of American trucking culture since 1963 – was celebrated during the annual Kenworth Truck Parade in Chillicothe, Ohio.

The Ohio city has a 51-year connection with the local Kenworth truck assembly plant and this years’ event was the fourth annual parade in the heart of downtown Chillicothe.

The parade featured more than 50 new, classic and customised Kenworth trucks from all over the United States. The highlights included a vintage 1923 Kenworth – built the year the company was founded – models from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, through to present day trucks manufactured at the Chillicothe plant.

“The Kenworth ...

Patchell Industries has made a key appointmentwith Mitch James moving into the North Island sales manager position from early June.

Mitch is based in Rotorua and is responsible for new trailer sales across all industry sectors as well as coordinating the upgrade and servicing needs of customers with existing Patchell products.

He will work alongside national sales and marketing manager Glenn Heybourn.

Mitch brings a broad range of transport industry experience to the new role after working as a milk tanker driver from 2012 and then moving into retail truck sales in 2018 with  CAL Isuzu and then at Penske NZ.

“We are really excited to hav...

The local roll-out of new generation Isuzu models across the light- and medium-duty truck segments begins in August.

Both the N Series and F Series line-ups are set for significant updates with the first of the 6-cylinder F Series models powered by the 6.7-litre DB6A Euro 6 engine scheduled as the first phase of a progressive launch from August.

Isuzu New Zealand General manager Dave Ballantyne says it’s a very significant model range update for the marque, which has been New Zealand’s top-selling truck brand for the last two years and leads again to-date in 2025.

There are key improvements to the F-Series with all FV, FX and FY 6x4 and 8x4 models b...

Plans to bring the Fuso and Hino truck brands together are accelerating with Daimler Truck, Mitsubishi Fuso, Hino and Toyota Motor Corporation now concluding Definitive Agreements for integrating the two brands.

The two truck manufacturers will come together on an equal footing in a new combined company with over 40,000 employees. A new holding company, to be headquartered in Tokyo, is expected to list on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Daimler Truck and Toyota will each aim to own 25% of the (listed) holding company for the integrated Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino. The holding company plans to own 100% of Mitsubishi Fuso and Hino.

The futur...

Operations began late-May at the country’s newest commercial vehicle safety centre (CVSC), on State Highway 1/3 at Ohakea in Manawatū.

The new CVSC will deliver targeted enforcement by NZ Police, and efficient monitoring for heavy vehicle compliance.

NZTA Commercial Vehicle Safety Programme Manager Sean Bridge is confident the new CVSC will improve travel efficiencies for compliant heavy vehicle operators and level the playing field for commercial transport operators in the region.

“A CVSC screens heavy vehicles travelling past and provides data on operator and truck behaviour such as heavy vehicle weight, Certificate of Fitness status, and driver f...